With as many attacks in Martial Arts that come in the direction to the side of your head, after many years of practicing self-defense you will simply understand to move your body. The line of attack in different arts has many names. This technique to the side of your face, neck, or head in a form of an angle. Some systems that practice weaponry arts say it angle 1 for the knife, baton, and sword. Other striking arts give this angle a technique name of hook punch or haymaker. In Japan, the aikidoists (aikidokas) call it yokomen uchi. The underlining concept to defense against yokomen or any type of angle 1 attack is to understand the angle, understand distance, and timing.
You can think of how to see yokomen uchi in different ways. You are early to the attack by entering into towards your opponent, you in a middle distance, or you are late. If you are super late against yokomen uchi, you will be cut or hit in the head on the side. In Karate, the side of the head attack is defended in the same type of strategy: entering in to attack the attack, being in the middle to block the attack or the block is instead a strike not a block in theory and practice, and being late to step back out of the line of the original side of the head attack or doing some form of duck up the attack. All involve body movement. The uniqueness is in the basic technique to overcome the yokomen uchi attack. In boxing, there is the high hook punch that is either cover blocked, ducked under or some type of a mix of movements; the opponent misses and is re-countered.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) looks at the hook punch in a self-defense context as a sucker punch. An argument that leads to the big right hook. BJJ uses an entering strategy to defend against both the opponent’s arms with arm trap. There is a lot of detail involved in such a defense including arm framing structure, weight distribution, and resistance. The main defense, however, is to move in close to create a clinching distance and find comfort in the conflict through superior positioning. The continuation once in the body clinch is to throw, takedown, or simply cover up the opponent from any additional resistance.
Yokomen uchi in Aikido (A Jujutsu system that values non-conflict), sees the clinching strategy or a wrestling strategy as a continued conflict. Again, the Aikidoist, has two main strategies of entering or stepping back, out or in a circle out. Is one better than the other? In my option, to be on the attack first is the best. So, the entering strategy against Yokomen uchi is great to catch the opponent’s (uke) arm/hand back. When you can step in to counter uke’s attack with his arm back, at that timing you will control the leverage of the attack. IT is what you do at that moment that matters. Will you attack and strike at the same time, attack and throw at the same time, or use the attack to follow up with a secondary move to gain the outside supervisor position. Below Morihiro Saito Sensei showcases over 8 minutes of variations to overcome the Yokomen Uchi (Circular Strike to the Side of the Head).
In Japan and the Budo Martial Arts such as Judo, Kendo, Karatedo, and Aikido there is the basic strategy of when to attack your opponent. This is called: Go No Sen (After the attack); Sen No Sen (Attack the attack); and Sen Sen No Sen (Taking initiative). A lot of Martial Arts moves are shown and taught to beginners with Go No Sen. If the opponent punches at you, block it and punch the opponent back. This is simple self-defense. As a student gets more knowledgeable in understanding the magic of distance, timing, and angles, he or she can be introduced Sen No Sen. If the opponent punches you, move while at the same time punching him. This is the idea of attacking the attack yet winning the exchange. Lastly, Sen Sen No Sen is what all the Budo arts teach as a high ideal. This is not just being able to punch a person in the face. Anyone can punch a person in the face when he or she is not ready. Sen Sen No Sen is under the context and moment that something is going to happen. Yet, to use Sen Sen No Sen, you take the initiative and move first ending the conformation. This is how in kendo (Sword Fighting) one person wins the contest with action with perfect timing and the opponent loses at the moment of thinking to attack; too late, it was over before the first thought or in other words right when the opponent thought to take action. Keep all of this in mind as the information and strategy will be beneficial to counter an attack to the side of your head. And even better understanding conflict while involved in the struggle, blending to such a conflict or avoiding it altogether.
To The Reader
The author will be most happy to receive your comments, including criticisms and suggestions. Noteworthy comments may be included in future editions or books on this series.
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– Prof. “little” Tony Pacenski
Yokota Air Base – Tokyo Japan
www.tonypacenski.com
